Five car hobby predictions for the coming year

Now that 2013 is in the record books, it’s time to look forward to the upcoming year and what it holds in store. Predictions have become an expected component of automotive reporting, and while it’s relatively easy to forecast happenings in the new car arena, it’s considerably more difficult to prognosticate about the collector car hobby. Armed with the lessons learned in 2013, here are five predictions about the hobby for the year that’s about to be:

1. Auction prices for high-end cars will continue to climb. From 2012 to 2013, the value of the top ten cars sold at auction grew by an astonishing 63.25 percent, topping $140 million. Granted, $32 million of that came from the sale of Fangio’s Mercedes-Benz W196 racer, and it’s unlikely (but not impossible) that any single car auction price will exceed this in 2014. While prices for rare and desirable models from high-end automakers are on the rise, don’t expect this to trickle down to more “common” models; in other words, just because Ferrari 250s are skyrocketing in value, the same can’t be said for Ferrari 308s. If I had to guess a number for 2014, I’d say that the top 10 sales for the year will exceed $150 million.

This 1983 Chrysler Town & Country Mark Cross Edition sold for $13,750 in September. Photo courtesy of Auctions America.

2. Seventies and Eighties cars will become more attractive to hobbyists. The saying “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure” has never been more appropriate. As blue-chip cars and sports cars continue to climb in value, look for those of us on a budget to continue to turn to cars that weren’t previously attractive, such as big domestic sedans from the 1970s and even “disposable” cars from the 1980s. Auction sales of well-preserved K-car convertibles drew surprising numbers last year, and it’s safe to say that trend will continue as more children of the 1970s and 1980s begin to embrace the collector car hobby.

3. The Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser will become the next Volkswagen 21-Window Samba bus. In the past three years, prices for restored Volkswagen buses have shot through the roof, with the rarest examples consistently realizing six-figure prices at auction. A similar phenomenon is beginning to happen with Toyota FJ40 Land Cruisers; once a rare sight at high-end auctions, their presence has become expected, and prices for well-preserved or meticulously restored examples have risen accordingly. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if an exceptional FJ40 topped $100,000 at auction in 2014.

4. Gas prices won’t change (much) in the coming year. If you’re looking for relief at the pumps in 2014, expect to be disappointed. Though supply of crude oil from domestic sources now tops imported oil and U.S. oil consumption has been declining in recent years, prices at the pump haven’t dropped significantly in the past year. Though fuel prices will surely rise seasonally, or in the event of a natural disaster impacting production, expect current prices to be the new norm for the foreseeable future.

“Scrape,” a 1939 Lincoln Zephyr, sold for $66,000 in August. Photo courtesy of Auctions America.

5. Hot rods, street rods, and restomods won’t climb much in value. Perhaps more shocking than the Petersen Museum’s decision to sell off cars from its collection last year were the prices realized for high-end street rods. Scrape, Terry Cook’s renowned 1939 Lincoln Zephyr, sold for just $66,000, a Chip Foose-built 1951 Mercury drew a winning bid of $44,000 and a Boyd Coddington customized 1933 Ford Custom Victoria traded hands for $38,500, all well below the cost to build such creations. Even the Dick Flint roadster performed far below expectations when it sold for $525,000 at RM’s Art of the Automobile auction (against a pre-auction estimate that ranged up to $900,000). Don’t expect this market to recover significantly in 2014, as high-end buyers want originality over someone else’s vision of what a particular year, make and model should be.

UPDATE (21.January.2014): Three weeks into the new year, one prediction has already come true: RM Auctions has sold a fully restored 1977 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser for $101,750, including buyer’s fees.

John C. Kovalosays:

January 3, 2014 11:28 am

Howard Arbituresays:

January 3, 2014 12:27 pm

Hi John, Well, let’s just say I broke every rule that would bend. Being a trucker all my life, I hung with a rough crowd, laughed at “Mr. Businessman”,never took life too seriously, had a LOT of fun, can you tell by my sense of humor? Paying for it now, unfortunately. Too old to work, too young to retire.

ragtops rulesays:

January 2, 2014 7:51 pm

I don’t agree with your opinion on resto-mods. A well done upgraded muscle car,and early Corvette’s and T-Birds have sold for more money then stock originals. There are a lot of people who want to drive their cars some distance in comfort and safety on today’s roads in today’s traffic that modern upgrades,better brakes,tires, shocks,ect.allow. There’s more to do with your collectable car than just cars shows,get out and drive it and make it the way you’ll enjoy the most. If your worrying about the price or value of your car when you go to sell it maybe your not enjoying like you should when you own it. I’m not one to buy and sell cars for money,I just want to drive my hot rod around to see other cars and meet people. I wonder if these speculators at the televised car auctions that drive up the price of cars care as much about them as the average person I see at the local car cruise or show,most of us care more about how our cars are running and how good it’s looking.

Kurt Ernstsays:

January 3, 2014 7:42 am

ragtops, I’m not disrespecting hot rods and street rods, but I’ve seen a lot of cars cross the block in the past year at prices far below the build cost. The possible exception to this is pro-touring cars, which are generally built for a specific purpose and an emphasis on performance.

I agree that the ideal car is a matter of personal interpretation, and when I finally get the time, money and garage space to tackle the Corvair Monza I’ve always wanted, it will be built to my tastes. There’s far more to the hobby than return on a financial investment.

Henry Davissays:

January 3, 2014 7:16 pm

It seems to me that the more modifications you make to a car, the smaller the pool of potential buyers get. Then the next thing you do to it will impress some of those potential buyers, and offend others…thus the buyer pool gets smaller yet. As the tastes of that pool of buyers change to other sorts of cars, prices MUST go down.

Stevesays:

January 3, 2014 10:06 pm

Kurt – When you build that Corvair Monza, look into the seats from procarbyscat.com. I swapped out the front buckets in my ’65 for a pair of Pro-90’s – the difference in seat technology between 65′ and ’12 is impossible to imagine. The new seats have headrests, lumbar support and they recline. A car that was a chore to ride in for an hour is now one that we will tour with.

David Conwillsays:

January 3, 2014 9:36 am

“A well done upgraded muscle car,and early Corvette’s and T-Birds have sold for more money then stock originals.”

This reminds me of the old saying “How do you make a small fortune racing? Start with a big fortune.” Just because something sells for more than a stocker, doesn’t mean it was a good return on the investment to make the changes.

John Lyonssays:

January 3, 2014 12:34 pm

The point wasn’t weather or not it’s better to leave a car stock or to modify it. The point is modified cars seem to be selling for less money than expected and that the average special interest car buyer seems to be more interested in non modified cars recently. That said, I regularly drive my unmodified ’47 Packard Clipper on trips of several hours and it was my daily driver for about half a year in late 2012 early 2013.

John Lyonssays:

March 26, 2015 8:47 pm

raysays:

January 2, 2014 9:06 pm

………agree with most all of Kurt’s 2014 visions, but I suspect it’s already too late for me to hop on the Japanese Jeep bandwagon, not that I’d want to anyway……And I suspect muscle/pony cars will still dominate the 70’s domestic car hobby, as even full size convertibles have yet to reach potential
One of these days, those dirt cheap TR’s, MGB’s and Alfa Spiders will struggle off the floor they’re stuck on, but maybe not this year.
Think I’ve already predicted the slow decline in tri-5 popularity, but I also think that ’59-64 GM BOP’s, Mercurys, Chryslers and DeSotos might pick up a bit in value, the bigger, the better……after that it’s musclecars, ponycars, and more musclecars, business, as usual.

Kevin Prestonsays:

January 3, 2014 12:13 am

It’s funny, as I read this, my sidebar is loaded with Hemmings ads for Toyota FJ40s—for $40k to $60k. I can get a Ferrari for that. Or multiple Jeeps that are better vehicles. This hobby is amazing if for anything but the bizarre twists and turns. Imagine paying $50k for an underpowered, noisy, gutless, ugly Jeep wannabe. Then again, people are actually collecting Trabants, the cars that people were literally leaving on the road once the Wall fell and they could go buy real cars.

Howard Arbituresays:

January 3, 2014 8:00 am

Hi Kevin, I can sympathize with your feelings somewhat, but , I feel, it’s a supply and demand issue with the FJ’s in the sidebar. I owned a FJ 55, and from experience, it was an excellent vehicle, sadly, a terrible ruster, and now people are realizing what a great vehicle it was, never to be offered again, hence, the prices for remaining examples. It was one tough unit.

Razzosays:

February 13, 2014 3:32 am

You can’t be serious. Jeep wanna be? The Jeeps of the same vintage were pure junk. They would vibrate so bad that the body sheet metal would split. The Jeep was for those that couldn’t put up the extra cash for the FJ40. Yes, the FJ40 was noisy and underpowered but it was not gutless and it was what the Jeep wanted to be. The FJ40 was as close to indestructible as you could get. It was put together with with anodized bolts and lock washers, not instant factory welds.

That’s why the FJ40 was the vehicle of choice in the 3rd world and insurgent armies. They would take a basic model, mount a cannon on the back and use it as their version of a tank. The Jeep and the Land Rovers were of no use in heavy duty conditions. The FJ40 is still common in countries that need a durable vehicle in difficult conditions. They are easily repaired and parts can be swapped.

So get a clue. Anybody familiar with that vintage of vehicle would take 1 FJ40 over 10 Jeeps or Land Rovers.

Carmen Angelosays:

January 3, 2014 9:43 am

I think the market is going to widen and broaden to include the kids born in the 80’s who ar now in the work force 30-34 years old they are going to makes some changes as to what is going to be worth something. Just like what happen back in the late 80’s early 90’s of the old 20’s and 30’s cars their value as a whole dropped because that generation passing on. Cars are emotional to the buyers.

David Conwillsays:

January 3, 2014 10:10 am

I’m smack in the middle of that demographic (31 years old, in the workforce since 2009), and I know lots of people in that age range. The ones I know who would likely buy collector cars wouldn’t buy anything from the ’80s or ’90s for the most part (save perhaps an IROC Camaro, 5.0 Mustang, or C4 Corvette; with the odd Chevette thrown in here and there) – they would rather have something ’70s or older. Don’t hold your breath waiting for bread-and-butter ’80s and ’90s cars to gain in popularity.

John C. Kovalosays:

January 3, 2014 11:57 am

David Conwillsays:

January 3, 2014 1:04 pm

I grew up with an ’87 GMC Safari van and an ’86 GMC S-15 Jimmy. The Jimmy was my first car in 1996 or so. Nothing but bad memories there.

That said, I nearly bought an ’89 Caprice wagon in September 2012, so perhaps I was overstating things a bit.

Also, I left out the A- and G-body GM coupes from the early- to mid-’80s, the guys a bit older than me had lots of hot rodded (looking) Regals and Cutlasses when I was in junior high, so those will probably be collectible as well.

April 29, 2014 4:12 pm

Graham Lloydsays:

January 3, 2014 9:54 am

4 door cars. Based on the trickle down theory, as the more desirable cars climb in value, they will become sought after for those wanting an affordable classic.

Wagons will climb in value. I have to credit the hot rod crowd for bringing them to the forefront. And those that have crossed the 3 ring circus circuit have achieved remarkable numbers. Witness a 59 Edsel Villager getting 60 or 80 grand (I can’t remember exactly how much) last winter in Arizona. It’s a 25 thousand dollar car at the very most, but the seed has been planted and I think there will be more representation when the circus next comes to town.

Last, but not least, first generation Falcons, Corvairs and Valiants. Cheap, easy to fix, roomy and cross country worthy. Not to mention dead nuts reliable and economical.

January 3, 2014 10:11 am

Keith Johnsonsays:

January 3, 2014 10:21 am

Graham Lloydsays:

January 3, 2014 10:30 am

They are climbing for sure. When I was accumulating parts for my 61 Ranchero and 60 Frontenac, they were dirt cheap compared to other cars.

Different kind of barn find story for you. I made a connection with a fellow whose father bought Falcon writeoffs back when they were new in 1960, 1961 and rebuilt them for his car lot. I filled my trailer with NOS and a couple of floor pans from cars that had only a few miles on them. (one had 3. Fell off a car transporter) One part in particular had a great story attached to it. He bought a couple of wrecked wagons. Too badly damaged to rebuild. So he bought a 2 door wagon body in white.

Scotty Gsays:

January 3, 2014 10:30 am

I agree, great list. I especially agree with the 70s & 80s vehicles coming into play. Of course, sometimes they can literally be impossible to restore because plastic diodes and computer controlled bits are almost impossible to find. And, even new-old-stock items like that sometimes don’t work because they just age sitting on the shelf, sort of like we all do if we just sit around. But, for me, my first choice would be, gasp.. a Japanese car from the early-70s. It’s just the era of car that I had in the late-70s when I got my license. “Memories, like the something-something of your mind… Misty water-colored memories..”..

Then, I’d get that sweet ’64 Saab on the right side ads section, beauty.

Restomods are (usually) works of art, but personally I hope they’re on the way out. I’m of the school that if a vehicle can be restored back to factory specs that’s the way to go. But, to each his / her own.

Kensays:

January 4, 2014 6:59 am

I’d have to agree with you, Scotty, on the restomods. I can appreciate the work that’s gone into them but they are just newer cars fancy clothes. It’s no longer a classic car when the entire engine, chassis and drive train are much newer. Kind of like gutting an old TV cabinet and fitting a new HD flatscreen inside it. Nice that you can do it but why bother?

Jake Edmondsonsays:

January 5, 2014 11:56 am

dansays:

January 3, 2014 10:45 am

sadly, from my experience, I’ve noticed that when the hobby, entry level, classic (10-15 grand) finally became readily available the fella that purchases these cars dried up. he has trouble putting food on the table, gas in the tank, etc let alone owning a toy. the high end cars (the real ones) still command high prices but going away are the tribute, recreations, etc and the groups that bought these cars on speculation like they were stocks or bonds. I do see a avid interest in cars that are original well worn condition. I attribute this to the fact that it is virtually impossible to do paint and body in this day and age and recoup your investment unless its a very high end desirable piece. rather than restore a car anymore you are better to build a resto mod that looks original and runs and drives like a new car. jmo of course and I remain as dumb as I look but have managed to make a few bucks and have lots cars along the way while enjoying the hobby. happy new year all

Chucksays:

January 3, 2014 10:48 am

You folks can’t possibly be serious about restoring Falcons, Valiants and Corvairs…the only possible virtue is they lack the capability of being tracked by da feds…if you leave your smartphone and GPS at home!

David Conwillsays:

January 3, 2014 10:53 am

John Heinzsays:

January 3, 2014 11:07 am

Muscle/Pony cars will be strong in
2 areas. Either the high horse power versions or the “luxury” version.
A 1970 GTO RAIV or a RAIII with
AC, gauges,and goodies. A standard
Musclecar is no big deal. To build or
update your musclecar you have to have AC, stock looking upgraded cooling system, alternator and a
OD trans. Skip the big cam etc. Go
for drive ability. If a car has the correct pedigree and mods it will be enjoyable to drive and have resell.
Stock looking is best. MGs,TR, 914
240z will get legs. The 280 sl and the 67-73 911 will get strong. Something has to replace the 356,
Speedsters, Gullwings and Dino’s.
Trucks are the camaro. You can find
one, build it, fit in it for less money than a 69 Camaro street machine.
No one cares about matching numbers there. A ton were made.
I am not a truck guy. The shark Corvettes are a great buy for the $.
Usually well optioned and a SBC.
What ever happens let’s hope that more young people get the “car bug”
Regardless of what we like.

Keithsays:

January 3, 2014 5:41 pm

Totally agree with you on the trucks….did my first truck restoration this fall and was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to find parts (AFFORDABLE parts), to work on, and did 90% of the work myself. Built the whole thing out for under $10k including paint and interior, made a few mods and have around 300hp.
If I were to look at a Camaro, $10k would get me…well….something to just start working on. I definitely see trucks getting very popular with us 30-somethings in the near future.

John C. Kovalosays:

January 3, 2014 11:53 am

Lessee….
2. 70s, 80s, like the music [punk, alt rock] the cars not so much BUT 70s cars have the advantage of simplicity, which will increasingly appeal to hobbyists as it becomes more difficult to set up a large, fully-equipped shop. Likewise for early TRs, MGs, but their prices will probably pull out of sight of the novice hobbyist.
80s cars? Perhaps the cybergeeks out there will get involved in niche restoration of electronics of that era. Perhaps going as far as creating car computers out of off-the-shelf office equipment or industrial controllers, etc.

4. Don’t be surprised if gas prices continue to climb beyond yer crystal ball. My argument? ASK ANY EUROPEAN how much THEY pay.

WILD CARD: The mandated conversion of power plants from coal to nat gas, plus the increasing market share of alternative energy [solar growing as much as 50% per year in some areas, and the industry surpassed coal in personnel back in 2011]. How this will affect hobbyists remains to be seen.

5. Oooooooh, maybe of us inglurious basterds out here might be able to finally afford one of those roadsters we’ve drooled over in previous years.
“Scrape” could be a good corn crop plus a Mastercard max-out. [Uh-oh; Sallie just showed up in the room – better cool it.]

BUT THE BIGGEST PREDICTION OF ALL:

An increasing number of guys out there saying: “Hell, I bought one of those for eight hundred dollars [wish I had it now]”

Jarl de Boersays:

January 3, 2014 5:38 pm

Kelvinsays:

January 3, 2014 12:13 pm

I agree that Street Rod and modified prices have taken a severe beating and will only continue, The car hobby is becoming more like the gun and furniture hobbies where modified items have much degraded values. The old saying “a car is original only once” is becoming so so true!

January 3, 2014 12:17 pm

Tony Contesays:

January 3, 2014 12:36 pm

Charles Mulhollandsays:

January 3, 2014 12:37 pm

I really have noticed in the last 3 or 4 years station wagons have been a real hot vehicle. For years no one had much interest in them and now they are very difficult to find. I believe they should be included in top 10

Andrew Frankssays:

January 3, 2014 12:41 pm

Thank you Kurt, for having the courage to go out on the limb. Frankly, as a Collector, I’m a buy and hold person unless the car turns out to be nightmare. So I’m really not interested in the economics of the Hobby because I know that as an asset class the whole field will continue to appreciate. I drive and enjoy my cars, they have an audience wherever they are, and the people in the Hobby are wonderful folks. As far as I’m concerned that’s what counts and Hemmings has been a valuable friend and contributor to my enjoyment.

Chucksays:

January 3, 2014 12:48 pm

Andacarsays:

January 3, 2014 12:59 pm

CRISWELL PREDICTS!!!

A Wall Street billionaire will pay an astounding amount of millions for an obscure, interesting car as an investment. Jeeves will go deal with actually getting it, and he’ll just drop it off at a big restoration shop. They will do an incredible job that will cost hundreds of thousands. The car will be trucked to Pebble Beach, wherein the billionaire will drive it a few feet up to the winner’s circle and collect a trophy. He will then flip it the next year.

Mike Ritzsays:

January 6, 2014 1:35 pm

The very high end exotic cars (250 GTOs, etc.) will continue to break records as the guys with the money have a lot more of it than they had a year ago. The rich ARE getting richer, so the prices will reflect that fact.

oldcarmansays:

January 3, 2014 1:03 pm

No surprise here. Real car guys appreciate the work, & also appreciate their money. Checkbook “car guys” have no idea if it is good or not, just what are the specs. Real hot rods numbers do not match, so these more money than brains types have no clue!
The auctions promote the big buck cars so they look more successful than they really are. TV doesn’t help, either. All they care about is money. They would auction off toilets if they perceived a market!
Enthusiasts jump in at whatever level they feel comfortable with. It is impossible to restore muscle cars without exceeding their value for all but the rarest. THe part guys long ago scooped up the NOS stuff & charge the max. The greed factor has priced these volume cars out of proportion to their rarity.

Edwardsays:

January 3, 2014 1:10 pm

During The 1970s 80s and 1990s I Seen Many A Shop Go Bankrupt Or The Owners Passing Away Because Of Brokers Making Such Huge Sums Of Money Off Of Them. My Dad Ran An Upholstery Shop For Autos Only And He Was One That Would Rather Work On What He Wanted To Instead Of Eatting . THe Making Of Huge Sums Of Money Is Whats Wrong With Most Things Includeing The Collector Car Trade.

Scottsays:

January 3, 2014 1:52 pm

Colstevesays:

January 3, 2014 2:03 pm

A few years ago I found a 78 Olds Cutlass Salon Brog, a one owner with 42K on it. extremely clean with the Olds 260 V8. A reare car, an ugly deuck back when but now I get many thumbs up on it. that has lead me to an 85 Olds Cut sup Brog estate sale. Fully loaded and very clean, Olds V8, 307. Last May I answered an as in the Olds club website for an 84 Custom Cruiser wagon.everything was there but a lot of TLC and DIY. Last weekend I went to an event in San Jose, three wagons were there, a 64 Bel Air with a factory 4 speed and tach and a 93 Buick Roadmaster that a guy got for $1500 and 58K. He had only to repair one piston, a beautiful car as is.

I’ve been urging the Reno Hot August Nights CEO to move up the eligible years. Now they take foreign cars and American to 1976. You must grow the hobby or watch the window signs that state, IMO..my late husband. Those cars are never to be seen again. 80’s El Camino’s are easy to restore, parts are a plenty. I also own four 1960’s cars that are show quality but do not rival the 70’s and 80’s for driveability, comfort, safety or reliability. What I do object to are the kit cars being represented as originals. Make a category for them alone! Hobby by checkbook or home equity loans show no initiative or effort.

Big show organizers need to take their heads out of the sand and welcome the younger crowd into the hobby.It makes for good business sense. It is OK to like something from other then 1972 or older! Having owned some of them as new cars, they were good for 36 payments and begun to fall apart soon after. The build quality (Even the American cars) have improved dramatically.

Briansays:

January 4, 2014 6:38 pm

I had a ’78 Salon Brougham in high school (1991) and it was a tough car to find even back then. Wish I had held onto it, but if I could find another one in the same condition for $1,600!!! I sold it at 175,000 miles on it because the a/c died and the front seal was gushing. Now I could knock those out in a weekend in the garage, but back then, it was way over my head!

colstevesays:

April 29, 2014 5:56 pm

Brian, I had a 78 Buick Century Custom coupe when new. It was very nice in red. The 231 V6 was gutless here in CA. Ok around town but the mountains you needed to put your left foot out the door to help it uphill. A very reliable car except the paint was seven times redone! The Cutlass Salon 260 is smoother and better in the mountains, even with the 2:43 gears. I have always liked the fastback (aeroback in GM speak) styling. I also love the 66-67 Mustang GT fastbacks. When I take these 70’s/80’s Olds cars out I get many thumbs up from old guys as well as the younger ones. Maybe too many have too soon forgotten these vintage nameplates.

Mike Psays:

January 3, 2014 2:33 pm

I think the 2000-2002 GMMG supercar Camaros and Trans Ams are going to be great choices. Not inexpensive now, they will only go up in value. GMMGs such as Berger SS Camaros, Dale Earnhardt Intimidators, and Pontiac Blackbirds are big horsepower cars that were built in very limited numbers. One of my picks for future muscle collectibles.

John Lyonssays:

January 3, 2014 4:04 pm

The problem I see with late ’70s and newer cars is obsolite smog parts and the fact that at least here in CA these cars have to be smoged. Also, sooooo much plastic in these and plastic degrades from UV. Otherwise sure I could see some ’80s stuff being fun. Always liked Fox chassis Thunderbirds personaly!

Paul Burchsays:

January 3, 2014 4:27 pm

One thing for certain is that the auctions will continue to screw up the hobby for those of us that really like cars and not investments. But I disagree that the less desirable cars will become so. People want what was desirable when they were young; that generally didn’t include station wagons and 4-door sedans. I personally have no interest in driving around looking like my father.

So long as these cars are very clean originals or fantastic restorations with the highest V8 options of their year, they will start to shoot through the roof in 2014/15. Especially things like Javelin AMXs with 401 from 1971/2 due to continued desire for new collectors to want rarity in their garage. These cars will continue to increase in desirability and with extremely low production numbers, their value will rise but will not run past that of the more collectible cars from their marque.

Keithsays:

January 3, 2014 5:50 pm

Had a 73 Javelin AMX this summer, needed to be restored but solid runner and driver with the 360. I literally had to beat people away with a stick from that car, and finally was offered such a good price on it that I sold it (now I wish I hadn’t). Been looking for another one ever since. Watch the price of these blow up in the next 3-5 years.

Franksays:

January 3, 2014 8:34 pm

I saw an earlier comment about how it’s impossible to restore a car for money less than it’s worth. I bought my 73 AMX Cardin 5 years ago cheap and have slowly been having it restored. It’s taken time, but the auction prices have gone thru the roof on this particular model. I’ll have a beauty and definitely make a profit when I go to sell if I ever do sell it. I totally agree with what you’re saying about Javelins and AMX’s jumping in value. It’s amazing actually

Keithsays:

January 4, 2014 9:57 pm

Franksays:

January 5, 2014 2:05 pm

360 with Automatic. Jet Black in color with White T hood stripe. And it’s really nicely equiped, Air and gauge package…tick toc tac…etc. etc.. I really lucked into this one and had no idea that the prices would go the way they have. Body is almost done….interior is beautiful, Just the engine and drivetrain is all that’s left to go. I was really luck, almost zero rust, but the original owner did beat it a bit and there were some dents and scraps that had to be fixed with new metal. Floors were replaced even though the weren’t that bad….

Keithsays:

January 6, 2014 11:01 am

Ahh so you have the Go Pak, too. Very nice! That is really a rare one to be so-equipped. Especially with low rust as AMC’s have a bad rep of rusting. You’ll never have a problem selling that one (other than the internal debate and the sadness thereafter!)

David Conwillsays:

January 6, 2014 11:05 am

John Lyonssays:

January 3, 2014 5:13 pm

What surprises me is that I see nothing mentioned about trucks! It seems that the value of clean pickup trucks is climbing and why not? Old pickups often have nice lines and can be fun to drive! As time went on, they began offering big blocks and many of the option packages starting in the late ’60s such as the Ranger, Cheyenne, Sierra, and Adventurer had nice trim and comfort items!

Keithsays:

January 3, 2014 5:48 pm

Howard Arbituresays:

January 4, 2014 7:08 am

Hi John, SHHH, don’t say anything! Trucks seem to be flying under the radar for a long time, but are catching on. I agree, their styling and simple mechanics are bound to be a hit. I myself am on the lookout for another “flat-fendered” Willys pickup, and have watched their values slowly escalate over the years.

raysays:

January 4, 2014 3:04 pm

……..never dabbled in them myself, but couldn’t help notice that pickups of all eras have already had huge appreciation in the last 5 years, maybe the fastest growing segment of all………in fairness to Kurt, he’s predicting future gains, and trucks have probably already made their biggest moves………but who knows, maybe the age of the $100,000 Sierra Grande is right around the corner.

marksays:

January 3, 2014 7:56 pm

I believe one of the biggest 80’s car to have and hold are the 84-88 turbocoupe thunderbirds and mercury xr7’s. Way ahead of their time but under estimated. You cant find a decent driver for under $3k. Most of them had their guts pulled out and dropped in a lightweight 80’s mustang. I have done that myself and the only reason I did was because the thunderbird was way beyond repair. But with a upgraded turbo and better fuel management my Mustang lays down 343hp to the tire…27mpg all day long. Long live the 2.3 SVO series!

larry youngsays:

January 4, 2014 10:50 am

hi mark, I love those car’s as I have 2 of ’em. I went and looked at an ’85 cougar 2 week’s ago 3 hour’s from home. same story, no motor but the tran’s was still there and the guy got it as a father son project but hasn’t gotten to it. I shot him a price of 3-400 the way it sit’s. he wanted 700$ for it. I told him how much work they are so we’ll see if he take’s my offer in the future.

Doug Bartholomewsays:

January 3, 2014 10:25 pm

I don’t want to look like my father, but I wouldn’t mind cruising around in any of the Buicks he owned, such as a 1953 Roadmaster, a 1956 red and white Special, a 1966 red Wildcat Gran Sport with a 425 and positraction, and a 1970 silver Riviera. Those cars were cool back in the day, and they are even cooler today.

Joesays:

January 3, 2014 11:10 pm

Ronsays:

January 4, 2014 9:50 am

I do not understand why the early RX-7s have not attracted more interest. Still one of the most attractive cars ever made, very reliable, plenty of available parts, one of the most fun cars to drive. Plus a lot of 30, 40, 50+ former owners who loved them when they owned them. What am I missing?

Kurt Ernstsays:

January 4, 2014 11:55 am

Ron, just a guess but I’d say the rotary engine frightens more buyers than it attracts. Now that Mazda no longer has a rotary-engine offering, the number of shops proficient with rotary engines is on the decline.

Ronsays:

January 4, 2014 5:54 pm

I can understand the unfamiliarity of the rotary possibly scares some, but there are a lot of folks who have owned them and know their reliability. I have owned 4 first gens. Now down to one, which I have owned for 24+ years. It has never been in a service bay (except for mandatory state safety and emission inspections). And if you ever did need to work on them, they are extremely easy and not a lot different than other internal combustion engines, except if you open it up and there are lots of people in local and national clubs that are rebuilding them all the time, thus lots of expertise to help you if needed. A number of owners that are members of the national RX-7 club are now reporting 300K plus miles and never having to open the engine up. I guess the word needs to get out that the rotary is not something to run from. Plus Mazda is still researching how to get better mileage out of it with the hopes off bringing it back. I routinely get mid to high 20s with mine, so that is not bad for a sport car begging to be driven briskly.

StormBringersays:

January 4, 2014 12:04 pm

Was wondering if Hemmings ever put together a top five or ten most expensive cars sold privately list for any given year? A fifty plus million GTO and if prices could be confirmed would be an interesting read.

rocketman442says:

January 4, 2014 2:57 pm

The massive coupes of the late 60,s to the mid 90,s.Some thing that the new car makers are not duplicating. Lincoln marks,continental coupes,coupe devilles ,olds 98 coupes.Pure luxury of a coupe, definitely unique as no one builds a pure luxury car today with out some nod to performance.

raysays:

January 5, 2014 1:36 am

……agreed, the wretched excess of oversized luxury 2 doors will appeal to today’s middle aged collectors, as they have never really experienced them as new cars in their lifetimes…….big rarity factor, too. as older collectors have let them go to the recyclers while focusing on more popular normal- full- size coupes,

Jim Msays:

January 4, 2014 6:16 pm

i don’t know what the future prices for any car is. I still like the 1950’S cars. It might not go up in value any more but I think my 1958 Pontiac convertible is still one of the sharpest cars at the shows i’ve been to.

John Lyonssays:

January 5, 2014 10:41 am

Kelvinsays:

January 5, 2014 12:49 pm

on the older modified cars, If you want something with disc brakes, air conditioning, and power everything BUY A NEWER CAR, DON’T DESTROY AN OLD ONE. That is what is happening with the declining street rod and resto-mod market. These older original cars are becoming basically works of art and no one in the right mind would paint over a Picasso or a Renoir so why destroy an old work of art????

PJMK65 (Patrick)says:

January 5, 2014 12:52 pm

I predict prices for clean 70’s and 80’s cars will rise faster than similar 60’s cars (excluding muscle and specialty) because they are becoming rarer and parts/restorations are more difficult. People will begin to pay large premiums for low mileage and excellent condition.

This will only change if they develop a process to cheaply recreate the hard to find plastic and electronic parts of the cars.

Also the interest in Japanese and German sports cars will increase. These are the cars the younger generation grew up around.

shawnmcgillsays:

January 6, 2014 10:57 am

I’m wondering if this emerging “3-D Printing” technology might be what eventually makes those irreplaceable plastic bits and pieces available.

Like all new technology, it’s brutally expensive right now, but the prices will drop like a rock in a little while, and everyone will have a $100 printer on their desk. I’m embarrassed to say what I paid for my first laser printer and scanner, but now…

David Conwillsays:

January 6, 2014 11:06 am

Kurt Ernstsays:

January 6, 2014 11:06 am

Shawn, you could be right, assuming the end product’s durability meets or exceeds the original’s.

There’s still the issue of out-of-production ECUs to address, though, and I wonder how that will impact the value of future collectible cars. Could we see a cottage industry of automotive coders, willing to replicate any ECU for a price?

Keithsays:

January 6, 2014 11:44 am

You can already do this, to a certain degree, with some of the late 80’s and early 90’s cars. There are people who can “remake” an ECU for my 90 Grand Prix Turbo for a small fee, either mapped stock or remapped for performance. Pretty cool.

shawnmcgillsays:

January 6, 2014 1:03 pm

I don’t think it’s too far-fetched at all to envision a time in the not-too-distant future where a smart entrepreneur does the scanning and prep work for in-demand parts, then “ships” the virtual parts to you over the internet, and you print them out on your own home printer – instant fulfillment!

All that’s needed is a demand, the financial inducement, and a small (and inevitable) advance in technology. This is actually a perfect adaptation of the commercial viability of this new 3-D printing technology.

This is exactly why I believe in the free market system. A demand arises, and someone steps up to fill it. As soon as the potential for profit exceeds the investment required, a new field is created!

As far as the market for replacement electronic gadgetry is concerned, as someone else already mentioned, it’s already available. And, as a former software author, I can tell you that one of the toughest things to do is find a niche that someone else isn’t already filling! There are millions of software (and hardware) developers out there searching for a niche. If just one of them perceives an opportunity, it will be filled. My instincts are telling me that if it’s difficult to find the ECUs, etc, that we need now, it’s only because they don’t know we need them yet.

David Conwillsays:

January 6, 2014 2:08 pm

I hate to be cynical, but I suddenly have a vision of a future where car guys, instead of complaining about ill-fitting, cheap, Chinese-made copies of American parts, complaint about cheap, Indian-programmed software that produces ill-fitting copies of American parts.

shawnmcgillsays:

January 6, 2014 2:53 pm

“Cheap, Indian-programmed software that produces ill-fitting copies of American parts” kinda begs the question, “Better these or none at all?”

Actually I agree with you. And if we don’t do it, they certainly will.

“Hello. Customer Service. My name is Peggy, how can I help you?”

It’s just like anything else. The consumer always has the final vote with his choice of how he spends his money.

You can go to Wal-Mart and buy the $2 Chinese socks, or the $5 American socks. Most people vote for the Chinese socks, then wonder why they can’t find any American socks on the shelves anymore. Go figure…

Seems to me that America is the World’s Champion for development and invention, then letting the rest of the world profit from it.

Patrick (Pjmk65)says:

January 6, 2014 1:22 pm

To Shawnmcgill;

I believe you are right. I was astounded by the recent advances in 3-D printing. They are using some very interesting materials and I agree that the technology will become available to small businesses and even home use.

I think the bigger challenge lies in a inexpensive way to reproduce electronic circuits and more complex parts than just plastic items.

shawnmcgillsays:

January 6, 2014 3:08 pm

There’s a cloud on the horizon of 3-D printing technology. The government is getting involved, ostensibly because it’s possible to make guns (gasp!) via the technology.

Once they insinuate themselves into the scenario, it will make getting widespread deployment of this technology much more difficult. They are already lamenting that they let this internet thing getting away from them. I expect heavy interference and oppressive taxes to hinder the implementation.

It will still eventually happen – it just won’t be a cakewalk. It won’t be allowed to grow at its own pace.

It seems to me that the electronic circuitry and devices would not be that difficult for someone with the qualifications to reverse-engineer and reproduce. Patents and copyrights might be an issue. That won’t stop the Chinese, but will hinder American production. Once again, it will depend on them realizing that there is a demand, and a profit to be made by filling it.